Tom Petty’s Daughter Responds to Cause of Death Report: ‘He Is an Immortal Badass’

Following the official statement from Tom Petty's family revealing that his death last October was the result of an accidental overdose of pain medication, Petty's daughter AnnaKim has reached out to fans to stress that, in her eyes, her father was not addicted to opioids.

As previously reported, Petty's family said he'd been prescribed "various pain medications for a multitude of issues including Fentanyl patches" prior to his death, at least in part to help him battle through a hip fracture during his 40th anniversary tour with the Heartbreakers. Adding that they recognized the news "may spark a further discussion on the opioid crisis" and expressing hope that "in some way this report can save lives," the family's statement shed painful new light on Petty's final days.

It was not, however, intended to suggest that Petty had lapsed into addiction before his death. As his daughter AnnaKim wrote in an Instagram post days later, Petty wasn't using his meds recreationally — he was simply doing his best to cope with a crippling injury that was only getting worse, all in order to live up to his touring commitments.

"His recent death is tragic, yet he died from doing what he loved and what will continue to keep his spirit alive," reads the post in part. "Touring with a broken hip because he would have it no other way. He loved performing. There are no hypothetical questions I love my dad and feel he is an immortal badass. The amount of pain his hip caused was beyond a normal surgery."

The post, which you can read in its entirety below, stands as the latest in a series of fierce tributes from AnnaKim to her father — and concludes with a reminder to embrace and express the love that really matters while you still can. "He passed away with his family in a room filled with love. I feel very connected to him," she added. "Give love to everyone you meet ... we are connected by love."